Air-regulator.



W. A. SHORB & G. R. RODGERS. AIR REGULATOR.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAR. 26, 1910.

974,997. Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

f 'lz I J6 /2 .K o I6 W. A. SHORB & G. R. RODGERS.

AIR REGULATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 26, 1910.

974,997, Patented Nov. s, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

www ZJ/30M @www G'zy Reid Royea'zrrsA the county of Macon and `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. SHORB AND GUY R. RODGERS, 0F DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO LEADER IRON WORKS, 0F DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AIR-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 8, 1910.

Application filed March 26, 1910. Serial No. 551,649.

1b all whom -t' may concern: v l Be it known that we,'W1LLrAM ARTHUR SHORB and GUY REID RoDGERs, citizens of the United States, residin at Decatur, in State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air-Re ulators, of which the following isa speci cation.

Our invention consists of the means for regulating the comparative volumes of air and water in the pressure supply tank of a compressed air water supply system. Although particularly adapted for use in this connection it will readily be seen, however, from our description following that the regulator of our invention is adapted for use in part or as a whole in other situations Where an efficient regulator is required.

As is Well known the compressed air systems common in use comprise a main supply tank of moderate size into which are forced air and water under pressure. These tanks with the Water pump or water and air pumps are located at any convenient point, usually in the basement of a house or below the surface of the ground and out of sight in the vicinity of the well or othery source of water supply. Water under pressure is led from the tank by suitable conduits to any point desired, the water being forced through the delivery pipes by the compressed air Within the tank, the tank of the System being in effect a large auxiliary air chamber connected to the pumping system.

Considerable trouble arises in the use of a compressed air system, such as Vthat described, on account of the fact that the relative volumes of air and Water Wit-hin the tank vary Widely from several causes. some systems no provision is made for introducing air into the tank other than the initial volume naturally filling it at atmospheric pressure, and in operation, under these conditions, the volume of air in the tank may so diminish, due to leakage or to absorption by the Water which is subsequently forced out through the delivery pipes, that the air remaining in the tank Will represent so small a'proportion of the total cubical capacity that after having been operating under resultant pressures due to pumping in of the water the volume of air will not be suflicient to fill the tank when expanded to atmospheric pressure, thereby'interfering with thel expulsion or withdrawal of all of the Water that has been pumped into the tanks.

It is essential for eflicient service and greatest economy that the volume of air maintained within the tank be such as to entirely fill the tank at such pressure as to just about balance that due toa column of water of a height equivalent to the distancev of lowest discharge outlet on the service plpe of system above the bottom of the tank, thus making it possible to draw all of the water which is pumped into tank, throughout the plumbing system connected therewith for useful service, and this requirement makes necessary the yintroduction of air additional in volume to and under higher pressure than, that naturally filling the tank at atmospheric pressure.

Many methods of introducing into the tank the additional amount of air required over -that which will enter naturally and at atmospheric pressure are in use, common among which are separate air compressors operated by both hand and, power; suction tubes fitted with proper valves and usually connected to the water pump which draws in air and causes it to intermingle with the Water in the pump and eventually find its way into the tank through the discharge pipe of pump; and also by admitting into the suction pipe of the Water pump, through a suitably controlled valve, air in small quantities, which is drawn in by the partial vacuum and is carried with the Water through pump and discharge pipe of same into tank. It is plain that by all of these methods of introducing air, or by any other known to us at this time, that the relative volumes of air and Water are very likely to become disproportioned, due not only to the tank leakage and water absorption, but also to the unregulated supply of air that may be introduced.

Attempts have been made to regulate the supply of air introduced as mentioned above by a valve operated by a fioat within the tank, which float rises and falls with 'the variatin of the heightof the surface of the water, opening the valve to admit air to the suction pipe of a pump as the Water rises and stopping the admission of air by closing the valve as the Water recedes. This means of regulation, however, fails to make use of the most importantattribute of the fluids within the .tank which is the pressure under which they are conned, since the resultant volume of air is proportional in a liXed ratio to a change in pressure,therefore, only such means of regulation as will be affected by pressure as well as-volume ma be depended upon to give satisfactory resu ts.

It is the object of our invention to produce a regulator which will operate to automatically control the How of air or other fluid to or from a suitable device for forcing same into a tank or other receptacle, Where it will be confined, so that the relative volumes of air and water may be maintained in the tank in the desired working proportions.

In'the accomplishment of our invention we provide for controlling the air supply (l) by means responsive to a variation of pressure within the tank and (2) by means responsive to changes in the volume of water within the tank.

In the best embodiment of our invention now known to us, which we shall now describe, we make use of a valve controlling l the supply of air to an air compressor, and

We control this Valve jointly by a diaphragm responsive to variation of the tank, and by thel elasticlty of a` spring suitably fixed and arranged with adjustable tension, and we provide for alternately locking said valve in a closed position or releasing it so that the spring may act to move it to an open position by a float responsive to the changes in water level. For purposesof illustration the valve is shown in the accompanying drawings` connected into the system by suitable piping and controlling the supply of air to the suction side of an air compressor which is connected to operate in tandem with the water supply pump.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure l1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a compressed air supplyv system in which our y invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a vert-ical section of the regulator of our inventionA showing its connection to the supply tank.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same. Figs. 4L and 5 are diagrammatic views, show ing the regulator in operating positions other than those shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

10 is a main supply or compressed air tank of this system, which is supplied with Water by a pump 11l which may be operated automatically or otherwise in response to variation of some one or more conditions within the tank 10 to keep up the supply of waterin the tank. This pump 11 is connected to a well, cistern, or other source of supply, by a suction pipe 9 and to the tank by a discharge pipe 12 while a service pipe 13 connected to the tank in the neighborhood of its bottom supplies water to house rmains or other piping leadingto suitable outlets.

The body of water in the tank is desig nated by 14, and above this body of Water ressure within .change of volume and pressure forces water from the tank through the delivery pipes. This air is replenished by an air pump 16 operating in tandem with the pump 1l, and connected t0 the supply tank by an air discharge pipe 17 communicating with the.

water discharge pipe 12,. l

18 is a pipe through 'which the air pump draws its air supply, and it is this air supply or suction conduit of the pump which in this embodiment of our invention we contr'ol by a regulator; The regulator is indicatedat 19. It consists of a cylindrical main casing 20 attached to' the side of the tank and communicating with it about its middle. IVe have found that the location of \the regulator at this point is most convenient, though it is -entirely feasible to locate it at other points and would in .fact be preferable under particular circumstances. In the outer end of the casing 2O is secured an air-tight dividing wall 21, provided with a central valve opening 22 having a seat 23 at each end. This valve opening is controlled jointly by two valve closures, the one 24 being mounted on a cap 25 inclosing the outer end of the casing 20 -and being arranged for hand control, and

the other of which 26 is mounted within the casing 2() on the opposite side of the Wall 21 and is adapted for pressure control through the medium of a diaphragm 27 mounted transversely of the casing 20 and held in'place against shoulder 28 by clamping rings 29 and 30, and a clamping memn ber 31 screw-threaded into thev end of the casing. The valve closure 26 is attached to a disk 32 on 011e side of the diaphragm land is urged away from the valve opening Vby a spring 33 abutting against one end of the disk 32 and at the other end against a circular member 34 mounted adjacent the Wall 21, and bearing against the ends of three adjusting screws 35 which pass through the wall. On the other side of the ydiaphragm 27 is provided another disk 36 against which bears the cam-shaped end 37 of a float-lever 38 pivoted to the clalnping member 31 adjacent the diaphragm and carrying a float 39 at its youter end. .As thus constituted, the regulator of our in- Vention comprises two valve chambers 40 and 41, separated by wall 21, and a valveopening or port therebetween controlled by two valves, one for hand control in chamber 40, and the other for automatic controll in chamber 41.

The automatic control is adapted to be accomplished by two agencies, firstvthe pressure on the diaphragm through the open end of the casing 20 connected to the tank, v"

30 lator spring valve.

tank.

The operation of the regulator is as follows: The air pump suction pipe 17 is 'connected to chamber 41,'while a suitable opening 42 is provided in the cap 25 to admit air to chamber 40. The regulator spring 33 being adjusted to allow the automatic valve-actuating 'means to close the valveopening 22, when the pressure in the tank r1ses above a certain amount, say thirty l5 pounds per square inch, the air supply ofthe air pump will be cut o whenever pressure in the tank rises above thirty pounds or such other maximum pressure as the regulator spring may be adjusted to. Whenever 20 pressure falls below thirty pounds and the.

water level in the tank is such that the float-lever 38 does not exert pressure on the diaphragm, the valve 26 will open as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The

water level may be such that the float occu'- pies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and does not bear upon the dia-4 hragm, but if', the pressure in the tank is still above the amount for which the regu- 33 is set, the valve 26will remain close and the air supply will be cut oli. `The moment the pressure falls, however, the valve 26 opens, and the air supply is replenished until the pressure within the 35 tank is renewed, this renewal' being accomplished by the injection of 'both air and water, or by either air or water. Thus the regulator is responsive to pressure variation, and the air supply is automatically 40o regulated. By means of the hand operated closure 24 the regulation may be made more or less prompt as desired, and the air supply adjusted to that best suited to the other conditions of the system, or may be positively shut off. It wouldl seem that the water level ioat 39 under these conditions has no appreciable effect on the operation of the regulator but this is on account of the fact that it is designed to operate only under certain conditions. The arms of the float lever are so proportioned with respectA to the fulcrum on the clamping member 31, and the float 39 is made of such weight, that when the water recedes from the float, as

shown in Fig. 5, and the valve is open, there is insutlicient pressure exerted against the diaphragm by the float lever to close 1the When, however,fthe pressure has risen to such an yamount that the valve is closed by the combined pressure of the air and the float lever, the valve will be held in closed position 'or locked. closed until the water level has risen to such a height as to ioat the lever, and relieve the pressure ofy the float vlever on the valve, and this irre-1 spective of pressure within the tank. This condition is shown clearly in Fig. 2. Thus it is, that after the water recedes from the float and the air ressure and volume is suiiciently restored; more air can not be pumped 1nto the tank until the water has risen to the level of the float and passed it, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and diagrammatically in Fig. 4, and not then if the pressure within the tank is sufficient to hold sufficientamount of air for proper working conditions is in the tank. The. air is, theretore, eiectually limited as to its maximum volume under a definite pressure, and the ai!l and water is maintained such as is most satisfactory for the best working conditi ns. With a certain volume of air within he tank, as determined by the position of the regulator, it is ractlcally impossible for leakage to be suoli, when the normal quantity of wateris used from the tank, as to diminish the volume fof vair to so small an amount that it cannot expand suiciently to work through the proper andV effective Waterexpelling range of expansion. There is, therefore, vwith the instrumentalit-ies above named, combined as specified, always a certain minimum volume of air in the tank. As air is admitted to the tank only when the pressure in said tank is less than that at which the valve is adjusted to operate; and as each time that the water recedes and allows the float to drop when-the valve is in closed osition due to excess of pressure against diaphragm, it is securely locked in that position by the float-lever and so remains until the water again rises and elevates the ioat. Thisy operation, therefore, prevents the volume of air from becoming lory operation.y

While we have shown our regulator attached to the tank about its middle, it is obvious that we may change its position in accordance with conditions. We have found that the location of the regulator at the middle of the tank is very convenient and gives good re lation, especially when installed in the ead or shell of a tank which is disposed horizontally, but may readily` locate it at otherl oints. So also we may control automaticaly by the same regulator a by-pass,a delivery pipe,or a starting device, or any means other .than the suction pipe of the air supply. And while we have shown the best embodiment of our invention now known to us, we wish it distinctly understood that our invention maybe given many 'forms other than that herein dis- )closed lwithout departing in anywise-rom itsgeneric spirit. Y

proportionment of the relative volumes of v APl0 / the valve closed, which will be the case if greater than is desirable for the most satisact ,-1. An automatic air regulator for ,130"

. Supply of air vpressure systems com;

prlslng 'a means controlling the supply of fluid to the tank which `is directl controlled both by air pressure and the evel of thewater in the tank. V 1 2.An automatic 'air regulator .for water supply of com ressed air 'systemscomprising'a means 'I 'rectly control- .ling the supplyof fluid to the tank which .is

controlled. combinedly by the pressure in the tank and the volume of water therein.

Anautomatic air. regulator for jthe Water supply tanks of compressed air 'water suppl systems comprising means controlling the supply offluid to the tank which is directl controlled combinedly by the Apressure o -`the tank and the relatlv'e volumes ofair and'water therein.` e p 4. An automatic airregulator for water supply -tanksfof air pressure water systems comprlslng a means ,controllingthe supply of fluid to the tank whichis acted upon simultaneously by means `responsive to. pressure in water level inthe tank.

- variations, :and means responsiveto change 5.,l An automatic'air regulator for water. i supply tanks of air pressure' systems comr1s1ng a means controlling the supply of uid to the tank whichv is simultaneouslyacted upon by means responsive to variatlons 1n a1r pressure, and means responslve to changes 1n the volume of water 1n the tank.

6 An lautomatic air regulator for water.

-supply tanks of air pressurewater supply s stems comprising means directly controlling the supply of air tothe tank controlled both by the pressure of the lair in the tank and the level of the water.

7. Angautomatic air regulator Vfor the -.water' supply tanks of air pressure water supply systemsI comprising meansdirectly? '-1 trolledcombinedly by the pressure in thel `controllingf-the supply of air tothe tanks which -is controlled combinedly by lthe pres sure in the -tank and the volume of water',

'8. An automatic air regulator for wateri'll' Supply tanks o fsairpress'ure water systems" .Supply comprislng a valve .controlling the ofuid-to the` tank, ,which valve 1s con-l Y tank and the volume of water therein water supply' tanks of air 9. An automatic air regulator for the ressure systems comprislng a valve contro ing the au supply. to the tank, which valve controlled combinedl'y by the pressure in the tankand the volume of water therein.-y Y

1 0. An 'automatic air regulator for water supply tanks of air pressure j systems com-r.l

prls'lng a easing connected to. theftank, a

- valve opemng in said casing/associated-jvvivh4 the fluid supplyr tothe tank, y'a valve closure perating with' said opening;and-means: responsive to pressure variation they the tank for controlling said. Valvez and a second valve closure coperating with the same valveo enin forthrottling the said openmgas es1re 1 -11 supply tanks of air pressurev systems com-y prlslnga easing connected to the tank, a valve opening in said casing assoclated with the fluid 'supply to the tank, a valve closure tank for controlling said valvel closure, and a handoperatedvalve closure for throttling said valve opening at will.

supply tanks of air pressure water systems comprising a casing, two valve chambers adjoming each other in said casin and a valve in each chamberY for contro `ing the fluid supply to 'said tank, oneof saidl valves- -being controlledl by means responsive to change intank pressure, and the other of said valves being controlled by hand to vary said Huid supplyat will;

air pressure water systems comprising a means directly controlling the supply of fluid to thetank which is controlled comvolume vo air and water therein.

water supply tanks of air pressure water with' a tank, two valve chambers adjoining tween said chambers, and two valve closures jointly controlling said opening, one-of said valve closures being located in one chamber andresponsive to variations in tank pressure, and the volume of water in said tank, land the other ofsaid closures the other chamber and adapted orhand I.ply is controlled by saidlvalve'.

j 15. An automatlc airregulator for water @supply tanks ofA 'air pressuresystems comf 'prlslng a .means controlling the-supply ofv uid to the tank which is controlled comprlslng a means controlling the' bi/nedlyby a 'diaphragm responsive to sure variations within the tank, and a .against.the da hragm.'

praisinga means controlling the supply of uidtothetank, a casingassociate -i'lzlelfe .w1'th,'a diaphragm' said casing for' con- An automatic 'air regulator v-for water? coperating with Saidopening, and means' responsive to pressure variation w1'th1n the- 12. An automatic air regulator for water each other in said casing, a valve opening be- E regulator for water'` 4.Supply Y tanks "of air 'pressure .systems com-.

1 05 located control, and means whereby. the lluid sup.-

binedly by a diaphragm responsive te varia'- j tions in pressure in. the tank, and by a oat e which move'sas the water level in vthe `tank A16. An a toma-tic air regulator for Water supply tanks of'air pressure systems com-- `sapply 0f fluid to the tank which is controlled. com#l .theleverof whichjfloat b'ears with itsl end Witnesses.

pressure Within said tank for controlling said means for controlling the air supply of said pump.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto 15 set our hands in presence of two subscribing WILLIAM A. SHORE.

GUY R. RODGERS. v

IVitnesses:

WM.' F. BERCHER, 1WALLACE J. CRoss. 

